Second to None
by Shewhowillnotbenamed1
Summary: After years of unrequited love, Raven creates a golem of Nightwing to give her what she wants. What she couldn't know was that he would secretly switch places with the clone. She has actually been living out her fantasies with the real Nightwing! But will he tell her? Will he even want to? And what will happen if she finds out?
1. Chapter 1

Another idea I got randomly and decided to roll with it. But, I really hope you like it! Thanks for reading! :)

* * *

**Bang**

**Crash**

The noises echoed off the dark walls in her room as she tossed more ingredients into the cauldron. Again, the sorceress drew up her arms to shield her anxious, pale face from the blow-back. It was dangerous, what she was about to do. And Raven knew she shouldn't be doing it. That much was clear. But she had already started. Now she wanted to see it through. She _needed_ to. She continued to add the various powders in the correct order and quantities to complete the potion. It wasn't just the fact that she was messing with this type of magic. But Raven was older, wiser, and more powerful. She shouldn't feel the need to do this - at all. She knew better than to use her magic for personal gain. _Much better._ This was hardly a solution to her problem anyway. The spell was only temporary. It would end and her life would continue as if nothing had happened. Still, she just had to. So she could know. If only to simply satisfy her curiosity. And though she couldn't quite bring herself to admit it out loud, her deepest, most desperate desire.

To be with him.

To feel...with him.

To be in arms. To feel his warmth against her.

She shivered at the thought.

Earlier that day, she had begun to contemplate it again. Everything she imagined that it would be like - being with him. There had been a gaggle of female fans surrounding Nightwing after their battle that afternoon. Begging for an autograph or a piece of him, while he obliged and smiled that winning, heart-wrenching smile. He had paused and looked behind him to her, for a brief second. He nodded at her and looked back to his adoring fans. Raven could feel her heart pang. She was disappointed in herself. A little disgusted. She was jealous - of those annoying girls. But why? There was no reason for her to be. She was powerful and strong. She was Raven. She knew she was just annoyed because, she yearned for him, too. For him to look at her like that. Just once. It was like a dull ache. And each day, it grew stronger. With every girl or heroine that would flirt with him. Or touch him. Or when, God forbid, he would give them the time of day. It grew stronger and stronger until finally, one day, it had broken through her barriers. Shattered through her apprehension and fears about doing something like this. Something so sinful. Something she had only pondered in her most nonsensical, hopeless day dreams. It was then, that she had made up her mind. She decided she was going to do this. She would go through with it. All Raven could promise herself now was that she wouldn't make the same mistakes. The plan had a clear end goal in mind; it was almost foolproof. She would get what she wanted out of it, and then, she would stop. End it. Done. Simple as that. And it would be all on her terms.

Truthfully, it was better that way.

Of course, it would be easier because she wouldn't have anyone else's feelings to consider. This way, it was safer, she couldn't get disappointed or _rejected_. Raven already knew she couldn't expect him to feel the same way about her as she felt for him. She didn't entirely blame him, if she was being honest with herself. She was still a woman after all. And an incredibly perceptive one at that. She had not exactly made it easy on him. Raven just wasn't like other girls. Not like her fellow female Titans. Like Starfire, now she was someone anyone could love. Hell, even Terra, in the small amount of time she had been a Titan, had experienced something akin to affection.

But not her.

No, it was never her.

And she had grown more and more weary with the waiting. For her great love. For someone to choose her first.

As disheartened as she was, she had even considered telling him before resorting to this. But she thought about it. _Really_ reflected on it. Suppose he was attracted to her, (which she very much doubted), how could he feel much more than friendship? Raven had not let on how she really felt. Not even for a second. She couldn't. Not to another person. It was too risky. Too potentially dangerous. And she cared far too much about him to put him in that kind of danger. The best thing she could for both of them was to quietly admire him from afar. Watch him silently in the shadows. It had boded well for her so far. He was none the wiser. Blissfully and completely, he was unaware of her deep feelings for him. Yes, this had worked well for a few years. Raven had assumed the pangs of longing for him would go away.

But she still wanted him...

_Nightwing_.

Raven never let on, but she wanted it _all_. And to feel it all, cared for and adored. And dare she say it-loved. She was not a delusional person. From what she knew, by now, she could never be loved by any person, certainly not someone like him.

He was perfect. And he knew it, too. He flaunted it. Unlike her, he was unmarred and untainted. Pure. An impeccable specimen of a man, as he was so often reminded. He was all things good and all things light in one tall, dark, and muscular package. But light and good, she was not. What she wouldn't give to be in the light with him! If only for an hour... Even after _all_ these years. Her heart hungered for his. She knew she couldn't be with someone like him. Not really. So she had hatched this plan. She had started looking into this spell once before. Even though it was wrong. _So__ wrong_. She just had to know what it was like, if just for a second. Raven had to see if there was something she was missing out on.

Was it really so immoral? There was all this love in the world. Love that was out there for everyone else. What did it matter if she just... borrowed a little bit? Just took from that which she had created for herself? It was innocent. Inconsequential. It could hardly be called a crime.

That was what she had told herself, at least. How she had convinced herself...

As she neared the completion of the spell, her wishes were soon becoming a reality. She mulled things over in her head, while the ingredients mulled over in the cauldron. What would it _really_ feel like to be with him? To be touched by him. Just once - or twice. She had to know. Once she did, then she would end it. She would have had what she wanted and no one would have gotten hurt. No one would even _know_. The spell wouldn't last forever. They could spend one day together or longer. Sate her curiosity. And perhaps she could be content with that.

A brief dalliance with him.

After it was all said and done, she could go back to pining for him from a distance. If that was the way it had to be, then she could live with it. But at least for now, she could pretend he was hers. In some form. She murmured a few magic words under her breath. A sudden flash of light burned brightly, blinding her, while a strong wind blew her back against a bookcase. That had certainly taken a lot out of her. Raven had anticipated as much. When she opened her blurry eyes, clutching her head, she could just make something out. A tall, muscular form was just visible there, in silhouette, behind the smoke.

She had done it. Her spell worked. Her eyes drooped with the effort and the exhaustion.

When it cleared, she saw him. He walked over to her, carefully. Easy, measured steps, until he was looking down at her. Waiting. And watching. He paused there for a moment, before he leaned down. He knelt next to her and reached out. A black gloved hand to her pale one. She looked up at him, slowly and unsure. Then she saw it. He was looking at her. Really _looking_ at her. With a soft, tender expression that was just for her. The affectionate look on his face said, he was going to take care of her.

Like he only had eyes for her.

It definitely was too late to turn back now.

* * *

He paced outside her room for the second time today. Nightwing wished she would let him in. Just to talk to him at the very least. It used to be so effortless, the bond they had shared. They had been so close in the past. She was his best friend. But now, she seemed like she didn't even want to be around him half the time. And it _stung_. It cut him deeply. When she would walk past him or retreat to her room, seemingly at the sight of him. She would often leave the room quickly if it was just the two of them or opt to stay in instead of joining him on their team outings. She had even taken to swapping with anyone else for patrol if she was paired with him. There were several times that she passed him over in favor of Beast Boy. _Beast Boy!_ All he wanted to know was why. He cared about her so much. And she was breaking his heart everyday she ignored him.

He was also worried sick about her. She hadn't left her room much at all. Was she eating and sleeping regularly? And was she even at getting any normal semblance of human interaction or companionship? (He meant one that _didn't_ transpire on the pages of her books.) It wasn't healthy. He needed to make sure she was alright. And he was going to ask her as much. So again, a black glove hovered, poised to knock on her door. But something made him stop short. He heard something he hadn't heard for a long time. The light, delicate sound of laughter - _her laughter._

He froze in shock. She was... laughing? Raven hardly _ever_ laughed. Certainly not for no reason. And why would she be laughing alone? Could someone be in there with her? No, that was preposterous. She didn't do that. She was Raven. She wouldn't. She..._couldn't_. He was sure of that much. There had to be another explanation. He paused to listen again, holding his breath, pressing his ear to the door. Wait a second. He could have sworn he heard a name, _his name_. Was she talking about him? Just what was going on? She needed to tell him. She owed him that much. He was her friend after all - and furthermore he was her leader. She needed to tell him what was going on.

He heard more muted voices and another chuckle. It sounded almost like a man's voice. Nightwing narrowed his eyes. This had gone on long enough. He knocked loudly, ignoring his initial impulse to kick the door down. "Raven? Is everything okay?" he asked curiously.

Listening more closely, with his ear to the frame, he could pick up more muffled speech and rustling. The sound of something shutting. He waited for a couple of minutes, getting increasingly more concerned and impatient.

She looked oddly disheveled when she came to the door. Her cheeks were a little flushed and her hair was mussed. Normally, she didn't have a purple strand out of place.

"Yes, I'm fine," she said, flatly. Like he was disturbing her from whatever or whomever she had in her room that was so interesting. So interesting that she simply couldn't come to the door or answer him so he could know that she was alright.

"Okay, well, we were just going to eat... Did you want anything?" he inquired, in a calm voice.

"Um..." she paused, looking down. "You know what? I am a little hungry. Why not?"

They walked to the living room, where their friends were waiting with stacks of pizza boxes in tow.

She sniffed the air. "Actually, now that I think about it, I _am_ famished. And the pizza smells rather good, too," she stated, with a tiny smile.

What?

Something was definitely up.

He frowned and looked suspiciously at her. He had wanted her to eat, but she always ignored him. She never headed his suggestions in the past. She always let him worry, usually insisting she was fine. Now this was even _more_ strange. She hadn't had much more than tea for days. And now she was hungry all of a sudden? What exactly was she doing in her room (and with God knows who) that had made her work up such an appetite? She was hiding something. He was sure of it now. He knew he had to get to the bottom of this. She was keeping something from him, and he was _going_ to find out what it was.

He grabbed a slice and then announced, "You know what, I think I want to finish reading up that case I was working on, while I eat. I'll just... catch up with you guys later."

Beast Boy mumbled something about him being a workaholic. Cyborg sounded like he agreed. And Starfire said she also thought that he needed to do some letting up and relaxing once in a while.

Nightwing didn't care.

They didn't understand. No, they had no _idea_. It wasn't the same as any of the other times. He was on a mission of a completely different kind.

And it was extremely personal.

This was a huge violation of her trust, he knew it to be true. So, Nightwing tried to convince himself that he was just doing this for her own good and for her own safety. It was something that _anyone_ would do for their good friend. He was just looking out for Raven. Like he always did. Walking quickly, the masked man went over his game plan briefly in his head. He was going to break in, see what or who she was hiding and get out. Then, no matter what it was, he would withhold his judgment. He would figure out the best way to approach her and talk about it - calmly.

Nightwing thought about it again. And again. So, it wasn't the most well thought out idea he had ever had. And there was the fact that Raven wouldn't think twice before killing him if she found out he had been in her room. But nonetheless, he had to do this. He _had_ to know what she was hiding. What she was keeping from him. It would be quick work anyway. He had stored all the passwords and codes for the rooms on file.

But he knew hers by heart. He entered it and walked in, looking around. He could feel his heart pounding in his ears. It increased steadily, and he turned around.

"What... in the world...?"

He was face to face with...

Himself.

* * *

**A/N: **I got this idea for a story the other night. It's possible it's not going to be everyone's cup of tea. I may or may not continue writing it. Please let me know if you enjoyed it! And once again, feel free to check out my other stories!

**10/1/2019 Update:**

I initially meant to do this, and I have updated the chapter and going forward. **Robin** will now be **Nightwing**. This is how I wanted to do things from the start, but I had a couple of reservations. Which, obviously are gone. I feel like it makes more sense for the story. I'm so sorry if this confusing. With that said, I hope you enjoy my upcoming chapters!


	2. Chapter 2

A black and blue suit disappeared through the doors to the Common Room, and out into the hall.

"...catch up with you guys later," he had muttered in a terse goodbye.

The words echoed in her head. _"You guys..."_

Until they faded away. _"You guys..."_

How impersonal was that? He hadn't given her so much as a second glance. Not even a cursory nod. Nothing. Almost like she didn't even matter to him. And why? He didn't have to acknowledge her again. After all, he had done his duty. His _noble_ act. He had checked on her, and made sure she was still breathing. At last, it appeared that Nightwing had gotten the reclusive Titan to leave her room. As a tiny frown slid onto her pale countenance, she found herself more than a little disheartened. He couldn't just stick around for dinner. Especially, when he personally invited her. And now she was disappointed in _herself_ for thinking such things. Raven shouldn't have been affected by this. It was ludicrous. This shouldn't have bothered her one _bit_. She could have since this as an _opportunity. _Yes, it could have been a chance for her to test herself. To see if she could put the feelings she had for him aside. And, possibly see if she could deal with them in a more reasonable manner, now that she had cast the spell.

After all, that was why she had done so in the first place.

Raven should have been insusceptible to this. To him. Or at least something akin to it. To immunity. She should have no longer experienced the effects of what he did to her. But her heart still panged, when he left. She thought that after she had cast her spell, she wouldn't still wish he would come around. She hoped it would all vanish. But it hadn't. There was still the minuscule part of her that wished that he would make an excuse to talk to her alone. And that he would place a warm, comforting hand on her shoulder, which was something he often did during some of their private chats. No. Instead, Nightwing had barely stayed with them for five minutes. And she found herself agonizing over the fact that he had left. Wondering if it was something she did, or perhaps something she had said. What was _wrong_ with her? Was this honestly such a surprise? He was a workaholic. It was, in fact, one of the many things she liked about him. His dedication. She knew how he could be. And they _all_ did. Still why even invite her to come hang out with them, if he wasn't even going to stick around? What was the point? Did he not _think_ of how it would make her feel? Or was he really just becoming... _thoughtless_?

Whatever his initial motivation had been, she hadn't once questioned it when he showed up at her door. She had genuinely thought Nightwing wanted to spend time with her. With them. But, he abandoned this effort in favor of work, again. Typical. She rarely agreed with Beast Boy, but he was addicted to his work. Now she was finding, he seemed to value it above all else. Before the team. Before friendship. Before... her. She thought she was used to it by now. That she had come to expect it as part of how he was. But, that was just what she always told herself over the years. She had still grown weary then.

And this was now.

The more she thought on it all, the more her hunger for food waned away. Raven could feel her desire to eat with the team dwindling. It seemed that she was right in assuming, that he was never going to see her. Not really. Not the way the clone had. Not the way... _Night_ had, as she had taken to calling him. She could never think of him as merely that. As merely anything. He was so much more than just a clone. Speaking of which, she probably shouldn't have left him. The dark girl hung her head. Yes, she had left him, just to go with Nightwing. He came to seek her out, like he always did. Like he cared. And when she saw his kindly face, she couldn't resist. But then, he ditched her. It almost seemed like... karma. For leaving Night like that. For holding out hope for something that she shouldn't. Or maybe even, for creating something that never was meant to be. She wanted to presume that it wasn't the latter. She willed the thoughts away. Raven, realized she should probably get back to her room anyway. There wasn't anything really keeping her here. So, she might as well leave. And make sure everything was okay with him. Raven had, in actuality, left him rather abruptly.

The cloaked girl rose, thinking she would slip away undetected.

"Friend Raven?" A wavy red-haired girl paused, in consuming her meal to gawk at her. "You have not even touched your pizza. In fact, you have barely eaten with us this week, save for this day. Might something be the matter? Do you wish to talk?" Starfire asked tilting her head at her. She looked concerned.

It seemed like she could sense that something was up. Sweet and kind Starfire. Her friends were certainly great. There was no doubt about it. Of course, she cared about them. No question. She would do anything for them. But, she needed something more. Something they just couldn't give her. Something their kindness and friendship alone couldn't fulfill. She needed to feel cared for in more than just a platonic way. She needed to feel real, _heart-wrenching_ emotion for the one person she felt so deeply for. She needed love.

His love.

"No, Star, I'm okay." She tried to assuage the alien's concerns. "I think, I just lost my appetite. Excuse me..."

Raven really wasn't sure she should have left him like that, especially without telling him when she would be back. She had been no better than Nightwing. Even if he wasn't born into the world in the traditional sense, Night was still a living and breathing human-being. One who worried when she was gone. Hopefully, he was okay. At least, she hadn't left him for too long this time.

* * *

Night sighed as the door closed behind Raven. He leaned against it for a moment, listening to the voices as they trailed off into the hallway. He looked down at the book she had abandoned, face down on her bed. The sorceress promised him she would be back. And then she left. He already missed her a little. She was so special, Raven. So beautiful, so clever, and so kind. And most people probably didn't know, but she wasn't just sarcastic, she was funny. There was so much he was learning about her. He certainly couldn't imagine there were too many girls like her in the world. Definitely none who were as powerful, that was for sure. He truly enjoyed all the time they shared. Every second of it was amazing.

Raven liked to read with him and play games with him. Like chess, checkers, and scrabble. She was pretty competitive at the last one. It was something to behold. Almost a little frightening, how she managed to always get those triple word scores every time. She even had the German version. He was still working up to that one. But, his favorite thing was when she would share her inner most thoughts and her worries and her fears with him. And then she would ask him for his. They had deep philosophical conversations into the hours of the early morning, as well as about fighting crime and even silly ones about all her teammates and their antics. Sometimes, they would talk for ages about their guilty pleasures, things he wanted to try with her.

Night really liked walking through the Tower with her in the moonlight. She seemed to really come alive. He didn't know if she was always this rebellious, or if he was bringing out this side of her. They'd had a few close calls, but so far, they had been unseen. Raven often snuck him into the gym in the middle of the night, so he could workout, and blow off steam. Then, he started to want more. He got even bolder. He suggested they start to spar together. And sometimes she actually did. Raven had gasped loudly, the time when he pinned her down, holding her captive with his weight on top of her. Night knew she could escape at any moment, she wouldn't have had to do much more than blink, to send him flying across the room. And yet, she let him hold her under him. While she gazed up at him in wonder. He could have kissed her right then and there. But instead, he took her hand and helped her up. And gently smoothed her hair off of her bright pink face.

Then other nights, it was the common room, to play late night video games and eat ice cream. She would typically read, but once, he managed to get her to join him. She didn't give herself enough credit, she was pretty good. Raven could really give Beast Boy a run for his money. And some mornings, they went up on the roof before 6 AM, so they could watch the sunrise together. She found solace in watching the sun coming up to start the day anew. He liked to watch her, as she gazed at the sun rising, the wind blowing through her purple hair. One night, she gave him an extended walk through the Tower. Raven said they could find a way to go to the park, the tea shop, or anywhere he wanted to visit. That sounded great. Truthfully, he would go anywhere with her. Everything they had done together was a dream.

A nagging feeling in his head told him, maybe it was just that. A fantasy. See, they could never do those things at normal times. Only late at night, off hours, or when the Tower was empty. Her powers were excellent for stealth, but they still had to do it, to sneak around. No, they couldn't spend time together out in the open. Not like her and... him. He had it so easy. Raven was right there, and he didn't even see it. He didn't want to see it, it seemed. The blue-eyed boy could see where the problem lay. Night almost wanted to talk to Nightwing if he could. Maybe, he could get him to ease up on Raven somehow. And be more mindful of her feelings. He really wasn't being very fair to her. Once, he had pictured what it would be like to give him a piece of his mind. Raven was such an amazing, loving person. She should have someone who would remind her everyday. And make her feel loved. But, it seemed, according to the novels Raven not-so-secretly liked, that the heroines almost always chose the wrong guy. And she was no exception to this rule.

The door slid open. She was back.

Finally.

Nightwing had his time with her. Now this was all his.

Night walked over slowly. He wondered what would happen if he met Nightwing. Would he understand why he was treating her like this? Why was it he made her feel rejected and alone? He made her feel alone enough that she had chosen to summon him here. Who knew if he ever would get that chance? Right now, it really didn't matter. All he knew was, Raven had him in her life. As long as she wanted him, he would be here. He was glad for it, even if he couldn't define their relationship outright. As for what he was to her, it seemed like, Raven wanted a companion of sorts, and a confidant. At the moment, anyway. But down the line, he could see her warming up to the idea of having him as a lover. He didn't mind the thought of that at all. A small smile crept onto his face. Maybe he was... holding out a bit of hope of his own? And why wouldn't he? To be her lover... Raven's lover. To touch her in all the ways she needed. All the ways, that no one else had. He felt warmth spreading throughout his body just at the thought. That was another reason why, he just couldn't understand. Why was Nightwing so afraid?

And _what_ exactly was he so afraid of?

The footsteps drew nearer to him, however, they didn't sound quite right. Something was rather peculiar about them. He could sense it. As the person came closer, he knew it.

Night was right.

Instead of a petite and slim hooded figure, a tall, muscular form emerged from the shadows.

Night cocked his head. Well, well. "You're not Raven." He stated it as plainly as the nose on his face. He crossed his arms, suddenly getting an interesting idea. No she had not returned yet. But maybe, this was better somehow. It seemed as though he would get his wish after all. He walked closer. "No. Most decidedly _not_ Raven."

"What the _hell_? What's going on?" The other man shook his head. Blinking rapidly. Hands in front of him on the offense. Ready to attack if necessary. "S-stay back." Night paused, as he was approaching the man a little quicker than he seemed to be able to handle. Or be able to process.

"Easy... I'm not going to hurt you." He held up an ungloved hand, as if to demonstrate this.

"I'm warning you -" The other man began, backing away. But, his voice sounded weak. They both knew it. "Don't come any closer..."

"It's okay, I'm not dangerous." Night tried his best to reassure him. Both hands were up now, open palms.

"Yeah, right," the other man spat.

Night scoffed. He rolled his deep blue eyes. Alright, enough. It was time to get to the point. "You're Nightwing, aren't you?" His lips curled into a smirk. It was rather predatory. And, it seemed to be having the effect he wanted. He could tell he was more than scared.

"Um... Yes..." He looked terrified and apprehensive. He had dropped the fighting stance at least. He continued. "What," he began, but then stopped when he saw the steely look in the other pair of blue eyes - his eyes. "Sorry... _who_, are you?"

"I'm Night."

"Night?" he repeated back, as if he didn't understand.

"Yes, that's what I said. It's my name." Was this guy somehow hard of hearing? Or just still in shock?

"That's your name?" His eyes widened beneath the mask. The gears were still turning in the vigilante's head. He was still trying to comprehend this. To come to grips with the situation.

"That's what Raven calls me. It's what she named me." He said this slowly and clearly.

"Raven - she named you?" The inflection in his voice sounded aghast still. And now almost... disgusted.

As if he had the right to judge her. To judge them.

"_Yes,_" he snapped. Night could feel himself becoming steadily more irritated. No wonder Raven was frustrated with this guy. He exhaled loudly and crossed his arms.

"Why - how are you here?" He was still flabbergasted. Again, this man wasn't as quick to the draw as his claim to fame. And yet, he shared his DNA. Now, Night inwardly cursed this fact.

Honestly. He couldn't figure it out? Wasn't he supposed to be a detective? Well, he sure as hell wasn't going to explain the situation to him. And Night was sure Raven wouldn't want him divulging her secrets. Especially not to Nightwing of all people, so there was no way he would. Most of all he didn't have time, or patience for 20 questions right now. Nightwing had to get lost, before Raven got back. She definitely wasn't expecting anyone else in her room.

"Look, this is still Raven's room. I'm an invited guest. You, however, are not. So I should really be asking the questions now, shouldn't I?"

He looked indignant at this. But he knew that it was sound. "Well, I -" he tried.

"Why are _you_ here?" Night demanded, with a bit of a superior look on his face.

"I'm... well...I just wanted to check on Raven -"

"Well, as you can see, she's not here, so... Why are you?"

"I wanted to ask her if I could, maybe borrow a book..." He was rambling. It seemed he was on the defense now. So, the tables had turned.

"Borrow a book, huh? I don't buy that, Nightwing." He chuckled darkly.

"Alright, alright... Look, that's not really why I came by," he admitted with a sullen expression.

"Ah, finally, some honestly. Besides, I know you're a better liar than that. A book, really?" Nightwing looked rather pissy at this comment. "And besides, you just checked on her, obviously this is about something else."

A black gloved hand dragged across his face. "Look, I don't know why I'm even telling you this, but... she and I, we haven't been really seeing eye to eye lately. And, uh, we haven't spent much time together either."

"Right... I think I might know something about that. But, what does that have to do with me?" Night shrugged nonchalantly. Well, actually it had a lot to do with him. But he always did his best to keep things separate. His and Raven's relationship was independent of hers and Nightwing's. Or, as he was finding out, a lack thereof.

"Okay, then, I'll just say it. I was wondering if maybe you could do me a favor?"

"A favor, you say... I have a feeling I might know what it is." Night nodded, almost sure of it. "But since I share your DNA and some of your essentia... I think I most definitely do," he murmured this last part, looking wistful.

"My... essentia - my DNA? What does that mean? How...?" He smirked at the Boy Wonder again. That was as much as he was willing to divulge for now. He would have to figure out the rest on his own, or he would never find out what he needed to know.

"Just, do it. Ask your favor."

"Well... It's not just a favor for me exactly. We can both benefit here."

"Continue, Nightwing." He waved a hand, encouraging him to say his piece. Night was willing to hear him out at the very least.

"To start, you would... switch places with me, and let_ me_ spend time your time with Raven."

He didn't think he would actually ask anything like that. He had some nerve.

"What? That's crazy. Not to mention, I would be lying to her." It felt like a huge betrayal of her trust. He thought about her stunning, bright purple eyes. That little smile that seemed to light up her face when he grabbed her hand in the corridors, or whispered gently to her. Then, he imagined Nightwing holding her in his place, or even... _kissing_ her. Night's stomach lurched uncomfortably. He frowned. "Also, why on earth would I agree to that?"

"Because of what I can offer you."

_Oh, please._

This wasn't a business deal or a negotiation, he couldn't pull that sort of thing here. Besides, he was dealing with one person who he couldn't one up. Or pull a slight of hand. It would take more than that in this case.

"No. No, I think... I'm pretty good here. And I can't leave, Raven needs me. _Not you_." He saw that little constipated expression returning to his face. Oh well. It wasn't his problem. "And what could you possibly offer me?"

"You'd get to be more than Night. You get to be Night_wing_."

"Like your life is so much better than mine. How is that better than -"

This time the masked man cut him off. The tides were turning again.

"Look, you said you share my traits and my genes, right? That means you probably have some genetic disposition to do the things I do, and like the things I like."

"Yes, possibly... It may not entirely work like that... Then, I'm not sure..." he murmured. Night trailed off gazing at the darkness in wonder. It was a minute or two before came back to himself. "But again, so what?"

"So, why don't you take over things for a little while? Take the wheel. See the life I lead; the life _we_ lead. Who knows, you might even enjoy it. You would get to fight crime. Solve cases." He listed them off on his fingers, and tried his best to sound animated, as if telling some sort of riveting tale. Who was he trying to convince? "You get to do paperwork. We _love_ paperwork. You would also get to be the ward of billionaire Bruce Wayne." Night narrowed his eyes. Nightwing narrowed his in turn. They were mirror images of each other. It was... eerie. To say the least. He shook his head to clear the image from his head. As if he were still trying not to think about this too much. The pure oddness and absurdity of this situation. Then, he continued his tirade. "_And_ you can leave the tower whenever you want. Also, you'll have fans - you know,_ female_ fans. And then there's the nightlife. So again lots of girls..."

"No, thank you. I'm not interested in that." Above all, he wasn't interested in any girls other than Raven. But he wasn't deluded. He knew Nightwing's motivation in coming here wasn't entirely altruistic. If he said what he was thinking, Boy Wonder wouldn't let him within ten feet of her again. Even if that meant exposing them both.

"Well, fine. I tried the practical approach," he sighed and ran a hand though ebony locks. "If what you said about yourself really is true, then, there is one reason I know you can't refuse."

Really?

Well, this ought to be good.

* * *

**A/N:** So there were way too many places I could take this after the first chapter. Like too _too_ many. I actually found I was struggling at first, hence why it took a tad longer than I wanted it to. But, I think I really like how it turned out. It seems I went in a different direction than I started, but I think it's a better one. It's a little darker and more angsty than I thought. But it's also a little bit funny. I hope you liked this! If you are so inclined, let me know your thoughts. Also, feel free to check out my other stories! :)


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